Display sign



M. W. SEND DISPLAY SIGN April 12, 1932.

Filed 001;.

20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet INVEN To R Way Z? IZ Se ATTO RN EY5 A ril 12, 1932. N 1,853,703

DISPLAY SIGN Filed on. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 INVENTOR .777626/7711? i/ZSe ATTO RN EYS Patented Apr. 12, 1932 Application filed October 20, 1 930. Serial No. 489,847.

The present invention pertainsto a novel display sign for advertising or announcingprocesses. and adapted particularly for use 7 where an interchangeable sign is desired; 5 This invention isan improvement on the sign disclosed. in my bet 21,1930. M

As already indicated, the object of the inventionis to provide aninterchangeable sign and further 'toprovide. an easily handled arran 'ement' for retaining'the 'si ncharacters I in the desired position and at te same time permitting them to be easily removed. 16 The invention comprises essentially a ably in the form of channels, for receiving the lower ends of interchangeable sign char acters, 'The improvement is directed more particularly to themovable means for engaging the upper ends of the characters to retain them. normally in a substantiallyverti cal position. These retaining members are in the form of depending strips which overlap the upper endsofthe sign characters and thusprevent them from falling away from the general plane of the frame. Inthe present invention these retaining members are hingedl mounted on rods also extending across t e frame. In one instance, they are normally retained in a depending position by means of springs and must be moved against the springs to'be adjusted to make possible the changing of the characters. In another embodiment, the retaining members have arather firm frictional mounting so thatthey tend to maintainany position in which they are set. y I

'. ,The invention further contemplates the use ofbacking material, 51101133 transparent or translucent strips, for the frame'f These members may abut each other or may be spaced apart at the retaining members. 'In the latter case, theretaining members are so formed as to close the space, thereby preventin h through. V r p The invention is fully disclosed by: way of example in the following descriptioncand in passage of undesired light therethe'accompanying drawings in which- "Figure 1 is a front elevation of the'device:

frame member having seat members, prefer- Fig. 2 is a sectiononthe line 2 2 of Fig; 1

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevation, part w ly broken away;

Fig. 4: is a front elevation ofa modified coni v struction Patent No. 1,779,190 of Octo- F 5 a section on the line 5 5 of Fig 4; Fig. 6 1s a perspective view of the retaining member shown inFig. 1; i

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the retaining so I member shown in Fig. 4; and 3 I v Fig. 8 is a perspective viewof the seat or channel member shown in Figs. 1 and .4. 7 Reference to these views will now be had use of like characters which-are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

A rectangular frame 1 of suitable dimensions is provided for the support and display of the sign structure. At the rear side of the frame, the vertical'edges next'to the opening are rabbetted at 2 for receiving pieces of glass as-will presently appear. At suitable intervals across the frame are provided-seat members 3 in' spaced and parallel relation 'a'cro ss the opening of the frame. One of these'members preferably rests onthe lower edge of the opening as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. One of the side walls of each channel member is extended at both ends as at 4 into the recesses 2 and Se cured therein by suitable fastening members 5.

Rods 6 extending across the frame are mounted directly'beneath the members 3, excepting the lowest member, and also beneath the upper edge 7 of the frame opening. The rods are therefore parallel to each otherand have their extremities Ssuitably secured'in the frame as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. Retaining members 9 of'strip metal are rolled as at 10 around the rods 6 and therefore hang therefrom as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The ends of the rolled portion are recessed as at 11 to accommodate coil springs 12 mounted on the ends of the rods 6 and having their spondingretaining member and the superjacent seat 3 as may be seen more clearly in Figs- 1 and 2. In the case of the uppermost retaining member, where there is no seat member directly adjacent thereto, the upper end of the spring bears against the upper edge 7 of the whole frame opening may be covered by a single plate of glass. At the grooves 2 the edges of the glass are engaged by clips Classcured to the back of the frame.

Sign characters 15 are provided in thenecessary. quantity and variety. They are made preferably of stamped metal and having effective height equal to the distance betwee the upper'edge of the member 3 and thelower edge of the next upper retaining member 9.. Lugs'or'tabs 16 are extended from the upper and lower edges of the character 15. The lower lugs are mounted in the seating channel 3, andthe upper lugs are concealed behind the corresponding retaining member 9. A. character isinserted by first lifting the correspondingretaining member against the actienof the springs 12 in order to put the upper lug behind the member 9, after which the member 9-is rel ased, and the springs hold it in a depending position whereit orevents the character from falling away from a substantially vertical position. I n

In the modification shown in Figs. 4:, 5 and I 7 a frame 20 is also provided with transverse seating members 21 snmliar to the seating members 3 already described. Rods 22 are also supported in the frame space somewhat below the bottoms of the members 21 and. in a more rearward plane.

For each of the rods 22 there is provided a. retaining member consisting of a l iii-shaped body 23 having a stop. flange 2% extending from one edge and retaining flange 25 extending from the other edge thereof. Stop rods 26 are secured across the frame immediately forward of the rods 22 and .direct. 1y below the seating members 21.. The S- shaped body parts 23 are mounted on the rods 22. and 26 in such a. manner that the rods are received respectively in the loops of. the body. The loops containing the rods 22 are rather tight on the rods in order to maintainany position in which they may be set. It will be seen. in Fig. 3 that the stop flanges 2% extend upwardly from the rods 22, and the retaining flanges 25 downwardly from therods 26.

Between adjacent rods 22 are inserted strips. of. glass 27 secured to the frame at their ends by means of clips 28. v.The retaining. members are adjusted so that the flanges 2 L engage the lower edges of the strips 26 or the upper edge of the frame opening, thereby functioning as shutters between adjacent strips of. glass,thereby' preventing the passage of undesired light between the members 27. The depending retaining flanges 25 perform a similar function.

Characters such as those shown in Fig. 1 are provided. The flanges 25 are swung upwardly around the rods 22 to permit proper insertion of the characters in the channels 21. These flanges are thenfswung dow 'nwaridly to retain the upper lugs of the characters and are limited in such downward movement by the stop rods;

In either modification of the invention, the

' -ch ar-act ers are readily changed when the retaining members are moved to a positlon permitting substituti'oirof characters. This arrangement provides asi mpleandrapid means forchangingthereading. of the sign. v p Althoughspeclhc embod ments of tllQlD- vention have beeniiliustrated and descr bed,

it willbe apparent that variousjalterations in the details of construction maybe made with out departing from the scope oftheinve'ntionas-indicated by the appended claims.

.WhatI claim is: '1

1. A display'sign comprisinga frame, seat members mounted transversely thereof, retainingfmembers pivotally supported above said seatnmembers, said seat ime'mbers being adapted to receive the lowerpart ofthe sign character, and said retaining members being adapted to overlapv the upper edges. ofsuch characters, backing stripsmounted between adjacent retaining members and spacedtherefrom, and means carried by" said} retaining members for covering. the v spaces between said. strips. f 1 V 2. A displaysign comprising a frame, seat members mounted transversely thereof, rods mounted transversely of said frame above said seatjmembers and parallelthereto, re-

taining members. pivotally mounted on said rods and. depending therefrom, said 7 seat members being adapted to receive, the lower part. of the sign character, and said retaining members being adapted to overlap the upper edges of such. characters, backing strips mounted between adjacent rods and spaced therefrom,and means carried by said retaining. members for covering the spaces between said strips; v r 3.. Adisplay sign comprising a frame, seat members mounted transversely thereof, retaining members pivotally supported above said seat members, said seat members being adapted to receive the lower part'of the sign character, and said retaining members being adapted to overlapthe upper edges of such characters, backing strips mounted between adjacent retaining. members. and spaced therefrom, and flanges extending from said retaining members and adapted to co-operate therewith to cover the spaces between said strips. f p I 4:." A display'sign comprising a frame, seat members mounted transversely thereof, rods mounted transversely'of said frame above said seat members and parallel thereto, retaining members pivotally mounted on said rods and depending therefrom, and stop rods mounted adjacent the first named rods and adapted to limit the downward movement of said retaining members, said seat members being adapted to receive the lower part of the sign character, and said retaining members being adapted to overlap the upper edges of such characters.

5. A display sign comprising a frame, seat members mounted transversely thereof,-rods mounted transversely of said frame above said seat members and parallel thereto, re-' taining members pivotally mounted on said rods and depending therefrom, and stop rods mounted adjacent the first named rods and adapted to limit the downward movement of said retaining members, said seat mem-c bers being adapted to receive the lower part of the sign character, and said retaining members being adapted to overlap the upper edges of such characters, backing strips mounted between adjacent rods and spaced therefrom, and means carried by said retain ing members for covering the spaces between said strips.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature. MAURICE W. SEND. 

